Panelhead

The latest integrated/dac/streamer to catch my eye is the new Lyngdorf TDAI-1120. About 2200.00. Very functional. Not as pretty as the Mac.

Looked great and found the amp for 2,500.00. But read the specs, Class D. I am sure it works great, but I want Class A/B. Old fashioned. The other thing is the posted pictures do not match exactly the ones on The Marantz website. The units look normal. The pictures here look chunkier, the height and width ratio is changed. The list of products I want keeps growing. But not this one.

The three new models seem very similar. The specs are almost the same. So is weight. Pricing seems to be the main difference. Stereophile recently reviewed the top model, A S3200. The reviews are always worthless. But the technical testing is first rate. The amplifier section had a measured S/N ratio of 70 dB! Bandwidth limited and A-weighted this improved to 82 dB. The published spec for all three models is 110 dB. Do not know if there is a reason. But 28 dB higher noise than spec at these prices is noteworthy.

Alnico demagnetizes over time. 35 - 40 years Is plenty for this to happen.. The new one should play louder. How much magnet strength is lost depends on use. Plus storage temperature. But all the really old Lowthers I owned were weaker. People say the alnico K77 drivers lose top end and output. Like down to 8 - 10K Hz. Would think the K55 does the same.

The options are all good. Pull the motor run caps and save for your refrigerator and central air compressors. Replace with a quality cap, Parts Xpress has a good selection. Any film cap beats the originals. More on this. Replace the K-77. Easily the weak link here. Whether a CT-120 or a DaveA horn with B&C DE-120. I think once the K-77 is banished the need for expensive caps in the crossover is gone. Also I think the reasons so many want to go two way is the K-77. When K-77 is replaced with a better driver the three way can sound really good. And figure out how to implement a sub. Replaced a sealed 12 inch active sub with a 12 inch push pull sealed active sub last weekend. Added CRUNCH. The single driver went deep, but no crunch. A three way La Scala with crunch sounds amazing.

I use the hospital grade outlets and power cords. They are low cost and very well made. Should outlast us. One of the surplus stores here had a bucket full of Hubbell isolated grounds wall outlets for 2.00 each. Still installing these when needed. Use Eupen cords for low current apps, and 14 ga hospital grade cords for big amps.

One recommendation. Micromega MyAmp. Accessories4less has one left. Dead quiet, 30 watts into 8 ohms and 60 watts into 4. Great volume control, good dac, analog inputs, and Bluetooth. Sounds great with my LS II. Cannot tell if it is powered with ear against tweeter or mid horns.

The speakers will be a wash. Just keep your sub. I used a pair of HIII with sub in a loft that is open to two large two story rooms. Pressurized the whole house. If you only need a power amp (AHB2) the Benchmark will be impossible to top. Best amp built. But 3,000.00. And if you change your mind it will bring 2,750.00. Digital switching amps are available that are close to the AHB2. Higher power and cheaper. Purifi based amps approach the Benchmark. Orchard Audio has a unique pair of amps for 1500.00. Denafrips has an AB Class amp that close also. Doubt any integrated approaches these amps. But if I had the room a MC962 would be sitting in my loft. They eat up as much floor space as a LS II.

Qobuz has a lot of hi-Rez. 15.00/month or family for 25.00.

One comment. You will never know how good they can play until the changes are done. There are many areas. Crossovers, drivers, horns, source, amplification, and last room effects. All can make a difference,

The days of picking up a new SL-1200 Mk II for 400.00 is long past. The GAE models seem to have advanced the offering.

Dave, Before sending it off open back up and look for loose connectors. May be a D-Sub with loose retainer screws.

G+1 on the Speakon connectors. My connector of choice. Not quite ready to add to the LS II’s. Yet. I saw two seperate tests of the Benchmark AHB2 where the measured noise and distortion levels were lower using Speakon versus 5 ways. So measurable but not audible improvement.

BTW, Full Range, that is a really nice pair of La Scala’s.

Those are looking great. The thicker side walls an improvement both cosmetically. . The reflectors in the corners are sharp. When I used to build folded horn cabinets the evolution evolved to using these to try and keep the expansion rate consistent. Sadly never could tell if they helped by listening. Think the horns are forgiving of corners. The added mass get them up to LS II bass bin range. Mine weighed about 130 lbs. Glad they have top hats. The total was around 175. It was bad enough carrying the bass bins upstairs. I will get help when it is time to carry them down.

There ain’t much close to Salt Lake City, except maybe Park City for a pair of Emerald Physics. I saw Dave A has started a rebuild. The pair I saw was good looking and included: 1, Rebuilt AA crossovers 2. Solder lug K55’s 3. MAHL and B&C DE-120’s They were sweet.

I use something close to what Klipsch uses INSIDE the AK-6 and AL-5. Using Canare Star Quad speaker cable. The 31 cents/ft smallest ga will work. The next size is more than what is needed. The internal wire in my LS was 14 ga.

I have been using a dac with four channel monitor output to drive a stereo amp and active sub. Using a software crossover to split and level match. Worked great. Read about the products coming out with DRC built in. With all this time since retirement dug an old monitor controller out of the attic It is a dac, preamp, crossover, and DRC in one box. Had not used in many years, it is 10 years old. It was a challenge to get it going due to changes in audio system and equipment placement. But got it running, calibrated speakers to the room. It is way better sounding than my other rig. A high quality recording interface. The DRC circuit is Lyngdorf Room Perfect. The blending of LS II to Blue Sky SUB12 is much better and seemless. Also it seems the woofer to midrange transition is improved also. The Room Perfect operates from 20 to 500 Hz. I used this unit for seven years with B&W 801 Matrix II, two models of Quads, active monitors, and lastly Thiel CS-3.5. At least with the Thiel I preferred a Focusrite Clarett 4Pre. The newer dac was cleaner and more dynamic. The Thiel might need the phase adjustments less than most loudspeakers. Room Perfect DRC just seems to make a larger improvement when mated with the horns than it did with phase coherent dynamic loudspeakers. The price of DRC is all over the place,.some options are cheap, some will buy a pair of AL5’s. But give it a try.

What is a LS AGC-4 Amp speaker?

I was in your position a couple years ago. Had H III and wanted some La Scala’s. Looked on CL on found badly beaten bar speakers. Scheu posted Adorama had several pairs of NIB LaScala II 70th for 5200.00 shipped. Delivered a couple weeks later. But a month later Dave A had a really nice pair he rebuilt for 2,000.00. I was driving 10 miles from his house in a Super Crew pickup. Wished I had waited and saved the 3200.00. But then I would have wished I was not such a cheap bastard and bought the new 70th’s, Hifi Shark is a good website for shopping. It does not search Craig’s List. But at least here, there is little good audio. Dave A has a laboratory full of speakers. I am sure he will gladly part with some.

There are toxic. Best to dispose of quickly. What is zip code for reasonable pick up?

Steve should have asked about where Roy finds his great threads and it his barber is local.

Let Dean explain it. I always bi-wire. In theory it reduces the effects of back EMF. The woofer can generate back EMF as it settles. Having both cables connected to the amplifier output ramps or absorbs the speaker generated voltage.

Before cutting the cabinet check for air leaks. May be the reason for the low end.

This may “sound” strange, but take a film capacitor and tap with your fingernail. Test several. Pick the most musical sounding.